WASHINGTON – Obesity may cost the United States as much as $147 billion annually, based on a new study from RTI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study, which appears online in Health Affairs, was released at the CDC’s Weight of the Nation conference in Washington, D.C.

The proportion of all annual medical costs that are due to obesity increased from 6.5 percent in 1998 to 9.1 percent in 2006, the study said. This includes payment by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers and includes prescription drug spending.

Obese people spent $1,429 (42 percent) more for medical care in 2006 than did normal weight people. These estimates were compiled using national data that compare medical expenses for normal weight and obese persons.

The study is titled “Annual Medical Spending Attributable to Obesity: Payer- and Service-Specific Estimates.”

Recognizing the large health and economic burden of obesity, the CDC has issued its first comprehensive set of evidence-based recommendations to help communities tackle the problem through programs and policies that promote healthy eating and physical activity.

“It is critical that we take effective steps to contain and reduce the enormous burden of obesity on our nation," said CDC Director Thomas Frieden, MD. “These new recommendations and their proposed measurements are a powerful and practical tool to help state and local governments, school districts and local partners take necessary action.”

The Common Community Measures for Obesity Prevention Project was guided by a process that included expert opinions and a review of published scientific literature, resulting in the adoption of 24 recommended environmental and policy level strategies to prevent obesity.

The strategies promote the availability of affordable healthy food and beverages, healthy food and beverage choices and safe communities that support physical activity and encourage breastfeeding, physical activity (or limiting sedentary activity) and community organizations for change.

“Obesity is a risk for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers,” said William H. Dietz, MD, PhD, director of the CDC's division of nutrition, physical activity and obesity. “Reversing this epidemic requires a multifaceted and coordinated approach that uses policy and environmental change to transform communities into places that support and promote healthy lifestyle choices for all people.”

The CDC partnered with the International City/County Management Association to test an initial set of obesity prevention measures in 20 communities. The resulting 24 recommended strategies and suggested measures are now being tested by Minnesota and Massachusetts state health departments.